RIYADH — The Ministry of Health has revealed that 97 percent of Covid-19 infections in Saudi Arabia during the past two months were among people who have not been fully vaccinated. "Among the infected people, 65 percent did not take vaccines at all while 32 percent received only the first dose of the vaccine. The rate of infections among people who have completed their vaccination schedule stand at 3 percent," the ministry said in a statement. The ministry urged all Saudi citizens and residents in the country to complete their vaccinations at the earliest so as to prevent the spread of mutated variants of the coronavirus as well as to safeguard themselves against possible complications following infection. The ministry also advised vulnerable people to take a booster dose six months after taking two doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The ministry confirmed that vaccines reduced the risk of contracting the disease by working with the body's natural immune system, which is the first line of defense against germs. "When the vaccine is taken, the immune system responds by recognizing the virus as soon as it enters the body. The immune system also produces antibodies in the form of blood protein to counteract specific antigen," the ministry noted. Antibodies combine chemically with substances that the body recognizes as alien, such as bacteria, viruses and foreign substances in the blood. The ministry also emphasized that the vaccine was a safe way for the body to produce an immune response without causing any disease. "When the first and second doses of the vaccine are obtained, immunization against coronavirus is completed, and immunity continues at high levels to prevent any infection of the virus. After the passage of time, in some cases the immunity begins to fall below the desired level of resistance to infection," the ministry added.
